IC Designer - Power Management

Apple Inc.; Austin, Northern (TX, KY); Hybrid; USD 110,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Apple Inc. is seeking an inventive analog IC designer for power management integrated circuits in Austin. You will work on DC-DC converters, buck/boost/LDOs, and related mixed-signal IPs, collaborating with system engineers and architects to push the performance of Apple products.

The role involves transistor-level design, feasibility studies, simulation, layout, and post-silicon verification, with a strong emphasis on robustness and testability in a team environment.

Qualifications

• BS and a minimum of 3 years of relevant industry experience.
• Experience with voltage regulator high-level architecture and low-level circuits.
• Familiarity with buck, boost, LDOs, bandgaps, bias, comparators, and op-amps.
• Analog IC design CAD tools and analysis flows.

Responsibilities

• Design transistor-level blocks for DC-DC converters and related IPs.
• Carry concepts through feasibility, simulation, layout, and production.
• Collaborate with mask design to produce layout collaterals.
• Optimize power, area, and performance of power IC designs.
• Develop subcell/IP-level simulations to validate designs.
• Define production and bench evaluation plans for post-silicon activities.
• Take bench measurements to validate designs.
• Review bench and production test results to drive bug fixes.
• Ensure designs meet ESD compliance.

Skills

Analog IC design CAD tools

Matlab modeling

VerilogA

Python

C programming

Tapeout readiness

Job description

Did you know that you could design custom analog integrated circuits at Apple? Our team is looking to hire inventive analog designers for the purpose of power management ICs! You can work with a team with dynamic strengths to push the limits of DC-DC converters. Partner with us to develop bucks, boosts, buck-boosts, charge pumps, chargers, or LDOs. Additionally, this role covers IC areas closely related to power converter IPs such as mixed signal circuits, switch-cap, filters, data converters, references, input-output circuits, and clock circuits just to name a few. As a power management IC designer you can also work with system engineers and architects. Together, you will work on exciting problems and help build amazing products. If so, we are looking for you!

Description

In this role, you will be responsible for transistor-level designs of various blocks in ICs including both DC-DC converters and related auxiliary IPs. You may start with early feasibility studies of new concepts/designs and carry them through implementation, simulation, layout, and production. We work in a team environment to build sophisticated power management solutions for Apple products. Collaboration within and outside of our group is an integral part of our work:

• Build concepts to overcome engineering problems in complex power systems.
• Design blocks and documenting design towards formal design reviews.
• Collaborate with mask design to construct layout collaterals.
• Navigate through optimizations of power, area and performance or power IC designs.
• Develop subcell and IP-level simulations to validate designs.
• Define production and bench evaluation plans for post-silicon activities.
• Take bench measurements to validate your own IC designs.
• Review bench and production test results to drive bug fixes.
• Complete designs considering ESD compliance of the circuits.

Minimum Qualifications

• BS and a minimum of 3 years of relevant industry experience.

Preferred Qualifications

• 3+ years of experience in industry for ICs going into production.
• Proven experience with optimization of voltage regulator high level architecture and low-level circuits; knowing which are suitable for given applications.
• Familiarity with buck, boost, LDOs, bandgaps, bias, comparators, and op-amps.
• Versed in the electrical characteristics and physical construction of capacitors and inductors.
• Qualified to review and provide feedback for printed circuit board designs from a power perspective and associated I/O.
• Device physics knowledge in regard to analog and power such as transistor operation, optimization, parasitics, and performance.
• We seek engineers skilled in analog IC design CAD tools and analysis flows to complete the designs for tapeout.
• Experience modeling circuits in Matlab, VerilogA, Python, or C for concepts prior to implementation.
• Validate analog/power designs on a lab bench using spectrum analyzers, oscilloscopes, signal generators, etc.
• Design with detailed testability; write test plans for trim and calibration; collaborate with test engineers.

Apple is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to inclusion and diversity. We seek to promote equal opportunity for all applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, Veteran status, or other legally protected characteristics. Learn more about your EEO rights as an applicant

At Apple, we believe accessibility is a fundamental human right. You’ll find that idea reflected in everything here — in our culture, our benefits and our digital tools. By welcoming as many perspectives as possible, we help you build a career where you feel like you belong.

Learn about accessibility in Apple’s workplace

Learn about reasonable accommodations for job applicants

Apple accepts applications to this posting on an ongoing basis.